The present invention relates to a capsule for the preparation of a beverage such as in a beverage producing machine, for instance, a coffee machine. The invention more particularly relates to a capsule comprising an identification element for enabling the detecting of the capsule inserted in the beverage producing machine. The invention also relates to a beverage producing device adapted to receive the capsule and to the combination of the two as a “system”.
Beverage producing systems have been developed for many years on the basis of portioned beverages, in particular, capsules containing a predetermined dose of beverage ingredient such as coffee, tea, milk powder and the like. The numerous advantages of such systems have been widely recognized, in particular, their convenience of use, clean operations and better controlled quality of the brewed beverage delivered.
The term “capsule” is here used to designate packets, pods or cartridges as well.
It is known to associate a radio frequency (RF) identifier to the capsule for the purpose of recognizing the capsule which is inserted in the device such as by a reader. Such identification allows changing particular operations, in the beverage producing device, in response to the detection of the identifier. For instance, brewing operations can be modified accordingly for adapting them to the type of capsule detected. For instance, brewing parameters, such as water temperature, the beverage volume or others, can be changed.
WO02/28241 relates to an encoded coffee packet including a machine interpretable feature on the capsule, for instance, electromagnetically detectable, e.g., a magnetic data storage medium.
WO2005/044067 relates to a receptacle for preparing a beverage comprising a magnetic ribbon placed on the inside wall of the receptacle; the longer dimension of the ribbon extending circumferentially around the receptacle. To be correctly read by a magnetic reader, a relative rotating movement between the receptacle and reader is necessary.
FR2912124 relates to a portioned package for preparation of a beverage comprising two flexible walls connected by their seam and comprising an RFID tag for contactless reading which is positioned in a reinforced peripheral portion at the seam of the package.
EP1890271A1 relates to a method of controlling the dispensing of an infusion product with a container for a product dose and an RFID tag associated to a respective number of containers.
EP1755090A1 relates to a device for identification and verification of items with refundable deposit in particular for recycling glass or PET bottles using a magnetic, electromagnetic and/or optical identification means such as labels applied onto the items.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,747,559 relates to glass-coated amorphous magnetic micro-wire marker for an article surveillance.
The prior art solutions typically contemplate the association of a contactless identifier such as a radio-frequency tag with the beverage portioned package. The package generally forms the support for the tag and can be produced during manufacturing of the package.
Certain identifiers placed on the package can be deteriorated, removed or modified. Certain identifiers are particularly sensitive to pressure or bending and may be easily broken. In particular, the portion package is submitted to relatively high forces during mechanical and/or hydraulic closing of the beverage brewing unit around or onto the package.
As a result, the identifier can be damaged and is no longer readable and the capsule is irremediably wasted.
Furthermore, portioned package can be made of flexible walls, for packaging cost reasons or others, the package is thus sensitive to deformation, and thereby the position and integrity of the identification element, which is necessary for ensuring a reliable detection, cannot be guaranteed.
With identifiers placed in the seam as in FR2912124, a reinforced part may be necessary in order to ensure its physical integrity. It is so more difficult to connect the two flexible walls of the capsule together and to provide a good connection at the seam because of the presence of the reinforced portion (e.g., piece of cardboard or fibres) which generally forms a localized excessive thickness.
Certain identifiers require a minimal length and specific positioning to be read correctly. If not, the received signal is deteriorated, too weak or even not present. Therefore, placing the identifier on the package, in particular, at the seam may dictate important design constraints. For instance, the seam must be made larger, at least locally, and the capsule might no longer fit correctly through the slider of the beverage producing device or may require a specific orientation of the detection part of the capsule before being inserted in.
In particular, for detection technologies using an emission of a magnetic field emitted from at least one electromagnetic coil of the beverage producing device, the size and the position of the identifier on the capsule are determinant to ensure a correct reading of the modified signal of the identifier. If the signal received by the receiving electromagnetic coil is defective, this immediately results in a faulty or abnormal functioning of the beverage producing device.
The present invention aims at proposing a solution that provides more freedom on the design of the capsule, ensures a more reliable signal detection and is less prone to damage or deterioration of the identifier, e.g., during handling of the capsule.
For this, the main principle of the invention is for a capsule including a contactless identifier inside the cavity containing the beverage ingredient. In particular, the identifier is at least partially embedded in the mass of the beverage ingredient. As a result, the identifier is protected from the external mechanical constraints. Furthermore, the dimensions and positioning of the identifier can be changed in a more flexible manner without affecting the overall shape, structure and/or design of the enclosing package.